Diagnosis of Eosinophilic Esophagitis in Children - A Serbian Single Center Experience from 2010 to 2017

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the epidemiological, clinical, endoscopic and pathohistological characteristics of pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) in Serbia. Method: All children aged 0 to 18 diagnosed with EoE in the period between 2010 and 2017, at the University Children's Hospital in Belgrade, Serbia, were retrospectively enrolled. Results: EoE was diagnosed in 35 children (12.45 ± 3.77 years) with male predominance (74%). The median incidence rate was estimated to be 0.85 per 100 000 children per year with the highest rate estimated at 3.17 per 100,000 children in 2017. Dysphagia (71.4%) and food impaction (40%) were dominant symptoms. Inflammatory endoscopic changes were found in 74.3% and fibrostenotic changes in 62.9% of children. The esophageal biopsy rate was low (6.8%), especially in children with reflux and non-specific symptoms. Subepithelial fibrosis was found in only 20% of patients. Since 2016, the number of biopsy samples has increased, but the sampling rate of lamina propria is still low (below 50%). The correlation between the number of biopsies and lamina propria acquisition was strong (rs= 0.773, p
Source: Medical Principles and Practice - Category: Internal Medicine Source Type: research